The 2008 SPQ™ Million Queen March™ and the Parade Weekend Festivities have come and (sniff!) gone! And I cannot believe we have to wait a WHOLE YEAR to do that again! Make sure you mark the third weekend in March on your ’09 calendars NOW—so you don’t miss it—this was absolutely without a doubt THE BEST EVER—but I gotta tell you—we’re already working on NEXT YEAR and you WON’T BELIEVE IT—it’s gonna be EVEN BETTER!

If you were here and you missed the JELLO WRASSLIN’, have no fear—IT WILL BE BACK and IT WILL BE BIGGER! Is the Hilton Staff insane or what? Ohhh, how we love them for it! If you got into the Jello and DIDN'T make a contribution to the Children's Hospital, there's still time. Send your checks to me at 161 Pembroke Circle, Madison, MS 39110, payable to Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital. I'll make sure they get to the right person.

Actually, we'd love to have your contribution even if you DIDN'T get in the Jello—we'd love to have your contribution even if you weren't even HERE—am I making myself clear? If for any reason, you would like to make a contribution to Batson, we would purely love to have it—ANYTHING FOR THE CHIRREN is our motto—make it yours as well!

The Hilton-Jackson has a monthly “Gettin’ It Right” award for their staff—to recognize Above and Beyond Service to Guests. This month’s award is going to Jay—the chief maintenance guy—and deservedly so, I think you’ll agree. It seems that a Certain Queenly Guest got the zipper on her CHAPS hung up on her TIGHTS and she could NOT get herself un-hung. As she became more frantic in her efforts, she only got more solidly snared. Finally, she called the Front Desk for assistance and Jay was dispatched to her room—with his needle-nosed pliers! He found her, collapsed and exhausted on her big comfy Hilton bed, hopelessly trapped in her Outfit—and in a flash, with one deft twist of his trusty needle-noses, SHE WAS FREE! SHE WAS FREE! She gratefully offered a generous tip—which he laughingly declined—said just Having the Story was payment aplenty! No one could recall a situation even remotely similar to this in the entire History of the Hilton and it was unanimously decided that Jay should be recognized for his Exemplary Service.

We Queens would also like to respectfully submit for consideration Rodrick, who so cheerfully HOSED OFF ALL THE JELLO WRASSLERS after we emerged from the green goo! I feel fairly confident in saying that I believe this is probably the FIRST time, in Hilton History that a staff member was needed to hose off the guests and we would like to see Rodrick honored for this much-appreciated Service—even though the water was waaaaay colder than the Jello!

At the Sunday Bathrobe Brunch, the Hilton-Jackson announced the SPQ™ Royal Package, available most weekends through 2008: $99 per night, Thursday-Monday, includes breakfast for two at Wellingtons. Just call them direct, 601-957-2800, and ask to speak to Billie Burns. The Package Code is “Queens.” Let him know that you want the royal treatment and he will make sure that you are taken care of!

For those of you who’ve been nagging me since last year for a copy of GEORGE’S PARADE PAINTING—you can GET ONE NOW with a 2008 CALENDAR on it. At the end of the year, lop off the calendar and you’ve still got your great print of this fabulous Parade painting. It is THE best one I’ve ever seen—by any artist—and there have been LOTS of ‘em, believe me.

Click here for DUANE JONES—PHOTO-KING’S WEBSITE—you can look at all the photos from the weekend and pick just the ones you want, order ‘em in the size you want and he will ship ‘em right on out to you. The Pass Word is spud stud (lower case and a space between words.) I think you will agree—these are THE BEST Parade Photos ever—he’s got some kind of Magic Lens or something—we all look GORGEOUS in every shot! It is nothing short of miraculous—truly! Wait til you see! And don’t forget, he’s donating 20% of his profits to BLAIR E. BATSON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL—we do love him for that—almost as much as we love him for making us look so good in these photos—bwahahahaha!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO’VE WRITTEN ABOUT THE POSTING OF THE REST OF THE BIG A** BOOK TOUR PHOTOS—pleeeeeze give The Cutest Boy in the World a break! We were out on the tour until 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE PARADE—we had to build the float and coordinate the entire event in less than 3 weeks! Can we pleeeeeze just let him lie down for an hour or so before we chain him to the computer to finish posting all those photos?! He’s gonna do it, I swear!

And it is BOOK-WRITING TIME AGAIN FOR ME personally—talk about no rest for the wicked! Yes, I am starting TODAY writing the next book—AMERICAN THIGHS: The Sweet Potato Queens’ Guide to Preserving Your Assets. Soooo, I need to hear from Y’ALL!

I’m looking for your stories of Growing Up, Learning About Life Itsownself—Usually the Hard Way! This could be anything from your first crush in grade school to your most recent divorce. It could be about your first two-piece swimsuit or your latest plastic surgery. It could be about the mean girls in your 7th grade homeroom or the mean girls in your office. It could be about your igmo first boyfriend or your igmo current (or past) husband(s). It could be about your First Kiss, your Best Kiss, your Worst Kiss—the Kiss You Wish You’d Gotten or the One You Shoulda Skipped!

It could be about your first attempt at cooking or your latest culinary success—or disaster. (So it’s time to send RECIPES, TOO!) It could be about weight loss or weight gain or exercise equipment turned into in-room closet space. Disastrous hair-cuts and/or color-jobs, fashion faux-pas you’ve committed, VERBAL faux-pas you’ve committed and of course, RELATIONSHIP faux-pas you’ve committed!

Learning to smoke—because it looked SO cool—and quitting, because it looks SO dumb. Early drinking experiences—and of course, recent ones, too. It can be about you—or someone you know. Tell me what you Thought Back Then—and what KNOW NOW—and how you learned it. Tell me Who Helped You—in a Good Way—and tell me about those Others—the Ones Who Helped You Learn—the HARD Way. Oh, and please DO tell me how you're enjoying Menopause! Was THAT a shock or WHAT?

Talk to me, Queens!

Write to me anytime at hrhjill@sweetpotatoqueens.com —with funny stories, GOOD OBITUARIES, and/or Questions about Life Itsownself—I'm often wrong, but NEVER IN DOUBT!